The LighthouseBulletin of The Rotary Club of Madras 2015-2016 • Edition No.48 • June 14, 2016 • 4 Pages

PRESIDENT Rtn. A S Venkhat Ramani

HoNoRaRy SECRETARY Rtn. Rajasekar Gorantla

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT Rtn. S N Srikanth

PRESIDENT ELECT Rtn. Dr N V Arulmozhi Varman

PRESIDENT NOMINEE Rtn. P N Mohan

Asst. SECRETARY / BULLETIN EDITOR Rtn. Sunita Suresh

DIRECTOR CLUB ADMINISTRATION Rtn. Vidya Amarnath

DIRECTOR YOUTH SERVICE Rtn. M Sesha Sai

DIRECTOR PUBLIC IMAGE AND FUND RAISING Rtn. Dr. Srinath Yeshwanth

DIRECTOR ROTARY FOUNDATION & INTERNATIONAL SERVICES Rtn. S. Ravi

DIRECTOR SERVICE PROJECT 1 Rtn. Dr. Chandrashekar

DIRECTOR SERVICE PROJECT 2 Rtn. Nimish C Tolia

TREASURER (CLUB FUNDS) Rtn. Aditya Agarwal

TREASURER (CHARITABLE TRUST) Rtn. R. Ravishankar

TREASURER (SPECIAL PROJECTS) Rtn. Kishor Dandeker

Taming of the mind

Swami Chidananda began with something that is familiar to all of us: stress. He spoke of a physician

survivor Victor Frankle during the time of Hitler, who wrote a book ‘ Man searching for meaning in life’ – focusing on the unimaginable capacity man has to put up with hardship and humiliation. Therefore, stress is not insurmountable, and every one of us has it in us to cope, and to cope well.

Next, the Swami spoke about something else that we all have to a greater or lesser extent: the ego. It is very important to us that our egos are intact. We are also careful not to bruise the egos of others. However, this is a dangerous vicious circle he says, and one needs to start being true to oneself, and seek out the real person behind the façade by asking oneself ‘Who am I?’

Finally, the key to it all was The Big Picture. Stress will always be in our lives, and we are likely to always have an ego, so a way to handle them both is to view things in perspective. Instead of focusing on the minutiae of our own lives, if we stop and think about these very issues in the larger scheme of things, they will likely assume far less importance, because we are but specks in a massive picture. One has

to follow Buddha, and understand that everything in this life is transient, and we must enjoy things while they last, and then when the time comes accept and let go.

We need to move on too, and not remain looking back. Everything is timebound: relationships, official positions, and our bodies included. One has to be a doer in life, and live the lives

we want, not drift along as passengers. Deep breathing gives us oxygen, calm, and energy to handle life in an effective manner.

The Swami used a slide with some delicious foods on it alongside much of this sage advice. This was to show how easily distracted we are by short term treats(stress) and easily lose focus regarding long term goals.

- Rtn. Maithili Shaan Katari Libby

2 Bulletin of The Rotary Club of Madras • Edition 48 • June 14, 2016

president’smessage

RIK.R. “RAVI” RAVINDRANPRESIDENT 2015-16 JUNE 2016

British writer and Royal Air Force pilot Roald Dahl was also an avid photographer who carried his beloved Zeiss camera on his many adventures. At a time when each photograph had to be laboriously developed by hand, on film or glass plate negatives, he amassed a collection of hundreds of images. In later years, these photographs served as a visual record of his travels, a way to document his experiences and share them with others. Yet he always spoke of his memories as being far more vivid than the photographs could ever reflect. So many events and experiences, he said, were simply impossible to capture; they could not be adequately conveyed in images or words.

Language may fail, and photographs fade; minds are fallible, and details are lost. But some experiences, as Dahl said, never dim; they stand out in our memories, even after decades, as a wall of flame. They rear up forever over the landscape of our past, dividing our lives into what came before and what came after.

That metaphor has stayed with me throughout the past year as I have traveled the world for Rotary. For indeed, this entire year has stood, and will always stand, as a wall of flame in my mind, dividing my life into before and after.

When I think back over these 12 months, I see a bright kaleidoscope of images cascading before my eyes, day after day, week after week. The anxious parents in Chandigarh, India, hovering at the bedside of the child recovering from lifesaving heart surgery. The bright flags of Nepal fluttering over an entire village that had been rebuilt after the devastating earthquake. The feeling of awe in St. Peter’s Square at the Jubilee of Rotarians celebrated by Pope Francis. Joyful gatherings around the world, in so many countries, in so many languages – with friends I had never before met, my brothers and sisters in Rotary.

To serve as president of Rotary International is a colossal undertaking, one that cannot be truly conveyed in images or words. It is a wall of flame that will burn forever in my memory, dancing with light, shifting in shadow. A thousand images jostle together in my mind, a thousand recollections, a thousand emotions. Together, they form a great mosaic; together, they show the bright and glorious work of your hands.

As this Rotary year draws to a close, I am prouder than ever to be part of this great organization: one that makes the world not poorer, but richer; replaces despair with hope; raises up those whom fate has brought low; and is a gift to so many, while allowing each of us to Be a Gift to the World.

3 Bulletin of The Rotary Club of Madras • Edition 48 • June 14, 2016

Sgt-at-arms Rtn PP Vivek Harinaraian collared President Rtn AS Venkhat

Ramani, who called the 48th meeting of RCM to order, followed by a silent invocation.

The minutes of the 7thjune’16 meeting was duly confirmed.

President welcomed the guest speaker Swami Chidananda, who will speak to us about “Gentle strength while facing hard times”.

President welcomed spouses, Probus club members, swamijis guests who had come for the meeting.

Birthday/wedding anniversary wishes were extended by President to the respective members/spouses who celebrate that week and thanked for their sunshine.

Rtn Archana Shri Sanjay was pleased to inform members that 35 kids have been signed for the kids fireside and thanked President/board for donating 5000 from the sunshine fund and 18 rotarians who have

also come forward to contribute for the kids fireside. A special mention was made about Rtn Madhav who has magnanimous in agreeing for a wonderful rate and allowing to use the pool side for outsiders. This is the first kind of fireside, exclusively for kids happening in the history of RCM.

President informed members that the District Awards Function is on Jun 22, 2016 @ Chennai Trade Centre. Entry Rs. 1,000/-

per person. Requested members to attend the Awards function.

Even though we have already achieved 1.65 dollars towards the TRF, Rtn. PDG J B Kamdar once again was generous to donate $10,000/- to the Rotary Foundation taking the Total Foundation contribution to $1,75,000/-. The PDG announced this in the Sangamithra Meet. President thanked PDG for his large-heartedness & gesture.

Secretary Rtn Rajasekar Gorantla announced that the Next meeting will be at Abbotsburg hall, Hyatt, same time.

Date: Jun 21, 2016Speaker: G L SampoornaTopic: ForgivenessRtn Dr Srinath Yeshwanth introduced the

guest speaker Swami Chidananda, speaker, writer and a teacher of spiritual topics for three decades. He is the founder and chief resource person of FOWAI FORUM, a non-government organisation (NGO) engaged in dialogues on human values, promotion of spiritual studies and serving all life forms. Swami spoke about “Gentle strength while facing hard times” with a help of PPT and later took questions from the floor.

President presented a memento and our clubs 80 year history book A Timeless Legacy to Swamiji.

Rtn Hiren B Shah thanked the swamiji for his soulful talk and sharing his thoughts on how to cope during hard times.

The meeting was then adjourned.

MINUTES

Club Assembly on Sunday 26 June, 2016

Dear Rotarians,We are on the threshold of a brand

new Rotary year 2016-2017, and I am quite sure that all of us are excited and looking forward to it.

We kick-start the proceedings with the Club Assembly. It is in the Club Assembly that the team for 2016-17 will showcase their plans for the upcoming Rotary year. It will be an excellent opportunity for the Rotarians and more especially the Green Rotarians to understand the multivarious activities of the club in all the avenues of service.

On behalf of the President elect Dr Arulmozhivarman and the incoming Board I would like to cordially invite all of you to attend the Club Assembly on Sunday 26 June, 2016 at the Regency Manor, Hotel Hyatt Regency between 10am and 1pm.

The Club Assembly will be followed by Fellowship and lunch.

The invitation and the agenda of the Assembly will be sent to you shortly.

We look forward to your active participation.

- Rtn Dr. R. ChandrasekharSecretary-Elect 2016-17

4 Bulletin of The Rotary Club of Madras • Edition 48 • June 14, 2016

21st June – Rtn M Srinivasan22nd June – Rtn Lala Mathai25th June – Rtn PP KN Raja26th June – Rtn Prabha Srinivasan27th June – Rtn R Rajenderan27th June – Rtn Sunita Suresh21st June – Ann. Dr Priya (Rtn Dr B Ramachandran)21st June – Ann. Dr Rubia (Rtn Shoukath Sherif)26th June – Ann. Madhubala (Rtn Mahendra Parmar)26th June – Ann. Dolly (Rtn Rajiv Khanna)27th June – Ann.Shalini (Rtn Vineet Prakash Munjal)

birthday

21st June – Rtn MCt P Chidambaram Ann. Chandrika22nd June – Rtn Harish Dhingra Ann.Ritika24th June – Rtn Mahendra Parmar Ann. Madhubala25th June – Rtn R Baba Shankar Ann. Bhanumathi25th June – Rtn PP KK Raman Ann.Meenakshi

WEddiNG

EDITED AND PUBLISHED BY: Rtn. Asst. Secretary, Rotary Club of Madras, ‘Rayala Towers’, 2nd Mezzanine Floor, 158, Anna Salai, Chennai - 2, Ph: 28591020.Contact the editor at: lighthouse201516@gmail.com. Design: www.studiodescience.com

Visit: www.rotarymadras.in Contact club secretariat at: office@rotarymadras.in

Next week… meeting will be on Jun 21, 2016. Speaker: G L Sampoorna, Topic: Forgiveness

Use a broom rather than a hose to clean sidewalks, driveways, loading docks and parking lots.

Water Tip

Rtn D Harikrishna – `2000Rtn. Sudha Shivkumar – `2,000Rtn. PP K K Raman – `1,000Rtn. Ambalavanan N. Dr.(Ann. Ponni) – `1,000Rtn. Chellakrishna – `5001Rtn. Ambalavanan N. Dr. – `3,000Rtn. Namasivayam A. – `5,000Rtn. Ranjeeth D. Rathod – `5,000

suNshiNE

The board approved the following proposals for membership of the Rotary club of MadrasName Classification ProposedbySubbiahViswanathan Hospital–Administration RtnDrVenkatesh Munikrishnan

Objections,ifany,maybesentinwritingtotheSecretarywithin10days- Secretary

NEW PROPOSALS

PDGRtn.S.Krishnaswamiatthe2016Seoulconventionand thisisthe25thconventionthatheattended.

Thousands of Rotary members, motivated by a special invitation from Pope Francis, gathered at the Vatican in Rome on

Saturday to celebrate a message of compassion, inclusiveness, and service to humanity.

At midmorning, the group -- numbering some 9,000 members from 80 countries -- made its way through the congested streets of Rome, past the tight security surrounding St. Peter’s Square, and settled into the area reserved for Rotary in front of St. Peter’s Basilica for the Jubilee audience.

Francis, a 79-year-old Argentine, urged the crowd of more than 100,000, which included members of the police and armed forces from around the world, “to build a culture of peace, security, and solidarity around the world.”

His message of peace resonated with Rotary members, including R. Asokan from Tamil Nadu, India. “His message about peace is about accepting. Rotary, which accepts all walks of life, can carry his message to all our clubs, therefore carrying his message to all our communities,” says Asokan.

After the Jubilee audience, Francis met with a small delegation of Rotary members led by RI President K.R. Ravindran. The pope spoke to Ravindran about the importance of vaccinating

children against polio and encouraged Rotary to continue its efforts against this disease.

“I have been honored and deeply touched to have had the opportunity to meet Pope Francis earlier today, and to have heard him tell us to continue our fight toward polio eradication,” says Ravindran, who is Hindu. “It has given me even more pride in Rotary’s past, even more faith in its present, and even more optimism about its future, than ever before.”

Source : RI

Pope Welcomes Rotary To Jubilee Audience

PopeFrancisgreetsRotaryInternationalPresidentK.R.RavindranataJubileeaudienceattheVaticanon30April,

where9,000Rotarymemberswerespecialguestsofthepontiff.PhotoCredit:CourtesyoftheVatican